Haridwar, Jan 16 (IANS) Amid the growing demand for prohibiting entry of non-Hindus in Haridwar’s Har ki Pauri, posters came up at the world-famous religious site which unambiguously designate the area as “off-limits for non-Hindus.”

The posters, declaring the Har ki Pauri area a purely ‘Hindu zone’ is set to deepen the controversy and set to ignite a fresh round of sparring between various stakeholders.

The posters, put up by Shri Ganga Sabha, read, “Non-Hindus Prohibited Entry Zone.” However, the outfit has claimed that the purpose behind this move is to simply inform people and doesn’t have any ill intentions.

Shri Ganga Sabha President Nitin Gautam, speaking to IANS about the development, said, “Basic knowledge of the law is essential for every citizen. After some incidents that have come to light recently, the Ganga Sabha felt that it had become very important to make people aware of the rules and regulations. With this objective, awareness boards have been put up at major public places in Haridwar so that the general public, devotees, and tourists can be informed about the law and also be able to obtain information from relevant authorities.”

Nitin Gautam further said that two to three incidents occurred in the recent past, which showed that the lack of correct information was the real reason behind the dispute and discord. He said that the purpose of these banners was to make people aware of their rights and duties, so that law and order are strengthened, and peace and harmony prevail in society.

Notably, the demand to ban the entry of non-Hindus in Haridwar has been raised for a long time, particularly in light of the upcoming Ardh Kumbh festival next year.

Earlier, Shri Ganga Sabha President Nitin Gautam had mentioned the bylaws in an interview. He had said that the British government, under the leadership of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, had created municipal bylaws for Haridwar and the Ganges, and that laws for Haridwar should still be made according to those same municipal bylaws.

Before Haridwar, temples in South India, such as the Tirupati Balaji Temple, Guruvayur Temple, Padmanabhaswamy Temple, and Lingaraj Temple, have prohibited the entry of non-Hindus, while some temples require devotees to take an oath in the name of faith, demonstrating their devotion to the deity.

–IANS

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